Golden Opportunity aims to make quality academic support accessible to all students in our community. We provide free, one-on-one tutoring and mentorship to students from low-income families in the Ithaca City School District.

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Photography by Jo Todd

Our Beginning

Golden Opportunity (GO) was established by Marty Kaminsky, a retired ICSD elementary school teacher and veteran tutor with over 30 years of experience. He knew after retiring he wanted to use his background in education and youth advocacy to make a positive impact in the Ithaca community. Kaminsky started small, serving four students at two elementary schools in 2005. As the community's need increased, GO steadily grew to support more students. Today, Golden Opportunity works with over 70 students in 11 schools.

“All I've ever wanted to do is change the world one child at a time.”

— Marty Kaminsky, Founder

Like Kaminsky, the vast majority of GO tutors are retired educators with 25 years or more of teaching experience. In early grades, tutors focus on building skills in core academic subjects such as reading, writing, and math — relying on the teaching practices and insights they have developed over the course of their careers. In middle school, the focus shifts towards helping students meet deadlines, organize projects, and manage their time effectively.

Our Mission

GO believes every child deserves access to quality academic support. We provide free, one-on-one tutoring and mentorship to students from low-income families in the Ithaca City School District. Our objective is to provide early academic intervention to help students progress toward grade-level competency and empower them to move forward with confidence.

1,886

K-12 students in ICSD are considered "economically disadvantaged."

All Numbers reported in the 2015 ICSD Equity Report

35%

performance gap in Math among "economically disadvantaged" students in grades 3-8.

39%

performance gap in English among "economically disadvantaged" students in grades 3-8.

GO students are selected based on their need for academic assistance. Classroom teachers refer students who need additional support, but are not receiving any in the form of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or special education services. By working with students who do not already receive additional academic support, and whose families might otherwise not be able to afford such services, we know we are reaching the students who need us most.